


Muggle Medicine

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Fluff, Friendship, Hogwarts Era, Romance, Second War with Voldemort, The Quidditch Pitch: From Diagon Alley to Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-22
Updated: 2008-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-27 08:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10805235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Trust is precious when the world is constantly changing.





	Muggle Medicine

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: Beta work by Wolfiekins.  


* * *

_**~~~ Muggle Medicine ~~~** _

  


“Hermione,” Ron whinged as he twisted slightly in the uncomfortable plastic chair to look at the young woman beside him. “How much longer do you think we’ll have to wait?” 

“We’re going to wait for as long as is necessary.” Hermione picked up an ancient magazine from a nearby table and began to flick through it.

Ron rolled his eyes at the non-answer. “Seriously, we’ve been here for ages now and I’m starting to think that they’ve forgotten about us or something.”

Hermione threw the magazine back to the jumble on the table as she sighed and turned back to her boyfriend,

“It has actually been less than an hour, and no-one has forgotten about us. They’ve been busy and we’re just going to have to wait our turn.”

As if to prove her point, a team of medical professionals darted past them shouting medical jargon, converging on a patient on a stretcher at the door of the Accident and Emergency department.

“Yeah, I guess,” Ron muttered as he watched them all disappear through another set of doors. “But it can’t be much longer, right?”

“I’m not bloody psychic,” Hermione snapped at the all too familiar question. She instantly regretted her harsh tone when she noticed Ron wince slightly. His face was still frighteningly pale but thankfully the bleeding from the cut on his forehead had lessened, the temporary medical dressing having done its job. His blood spattered t-shirt, however, betrayed the disturbing evidence of the blood loss from a few hours previously.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” she said after taking a shaky breath. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah Hermione, I’m fine.” He ran an unsteady hand across his face, wincing in pain as his fingers passed over the angry cut on his forehead. He was clearly tired and injured, as well as worried and confused. His confusion was a direct result of the fact that Hermione had taken him to a Muggle hospital and he was a bit wary of what to expect. Memories of his father’s experiences with Muggle stitches must have been flashing through his mind.

“Liar,” Hermione said as a small smile crept across her tired face. She reached for his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. “They’ll see you soon Ron, then we’ll make sure that you really _are_ okay.”

Ron held her hand in his for a minute before he voiced one of his worries. “I just wish we could go home and go to St. Mungos or something.”

“I know Ron, I know…” Hermione’s voice drifted away as her concern over the entire situation once again threatened to overwhelm her. However, it wasn’t long before she shook her head and cleared her throat. There was nothing either of them could do right now about their current isolation from the magical world, but the one thing she could do was to make sure that Ron was okay. It was one of the few problems that she could deal with right now.

“It might be a while until we can get back, and it’s not safe to wait until then for you to get some medical treatment.”

“Hermione, I’m fine really. I’ve just a bit of a bump on the head, that’s all.”

Hermione shook her head in annoyance and turned to face him, still holding his hand tightly in her own.

“That was more than just a bit of a bump on the head. Aside from that gash, you could have a concussion, and I’m going to make sure that you are taken care of.” She noted that the determination in her voice and the worry in her eyes captured his attention.

“I’m worried about you,” she whispered.

Ron nodded his head. “Yeah…okay…so we’ll wait,” he said before he leaned forward to place a quick kiss on her lips.

Hermione smiled as Ron sat back on the uncomfortable chair, and she returned her head to his shoulder.

They both settled back to watching the large clock that hung in the waiting room. The dominating presence of such a huge timepiece seemed to mock their anxious wait and Ron took a moment to glare at it before he cast a wary glance around the room.

“I just wish we could do magic,” he whispered to her, very much aware of the many Muggles in the waiting room. “It wouldn’t be long until you had me sorted out.”

Hermione smiled at his confidence in her abilities, but found that she couldn‘t keep a hint of sadness from threading through her reply. “Ron, you know we can’t.”

“Yeah, yeah I know. ” he said, “I didn’t say we _should_. I just said that I wish we _could._ ”

They sat in silence for a while, Hermione remembering the drastic changes their world had gone through in less than a year. The escalation of the war and the dangerous searches for the ever-elusive horcruxes had changed nearly everything beyond all recognition. It saddened her to remember the years when they would not have thought twice about using magic.

But times had changed, and necessity demanded that they change along with it.

The battle they had been involved in only three hours ago had been intense and over very quickly. According to the new arrangements set up by the Order, those who survived were ordered to isolate themselves from the magical world until they were somehow notified that it was safe to return. 

There had been too many incidents of Death Eaters pursuing survivors in the hopes of finding the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. So they were in hiding until they received notification that the situation had changed. Using magic in this situation would be like lighting a torch in the darkened room. It had the potential to not only lead those in the Order to them, but also those who were intent on killing them. It was a risk that they dare not take. 

The rapid escalation of the war had meant that both sides had developed different and more advanced methods of fighting and defending themselves. Recent experiences had led the Order to believe that the Death Eaters could have the potential to track magic use, and to find the witch or wizard who was responsible. Whenever they were in headquarters or any other location that had been suitably shielded, it was not necessarily a problem. But when in the ‘outside world,' caution was essential. 

And so Hermione had found herself in a Muggle Accident and Emergency ward, worrying over a clearly agitated and bleeding Ron. She was grateful and relieved to know that those they cared for had survived the battle, even though they could not contact them at this time. They had both seen the few members of their family, both real and honorary, who had been fighting that particular battle survive and make their own way into the shadows. 

At least that was one worry that had been alleviated. 

Hermione suddenly sat up a bit straighter, pausing only a moment before jumping from her chair and pulling Ron to his feet. At his questioning look, she smiled and gave him a quick kiss. “You trust me, don’t you Ron?”

His answer was automatic. “Of course I do”

“Good.” Hermione indicated that their turn had arrived and the doctor was ready to see them.

__

~~~ * ~~~

__  


“If I hear one more person talk to me about ‘what the world has come to’ I really will hex them all and to hell with the consequences,” Ron muttered as he rested his head back on the pillow. “What did you tell them anyway?” he asked Hermione, who pulled the curtains shut around Ron’s hospital bed and sat down beside him. 

“Well, I had to tell them something Ron. I could hardly say that you were injured in a magical battle against the forces of a megalomaniac dark wizard who is intent on ruling the world, now could I?” She’d dropped her voice to a whisper in deference to their Muggle surroundings.

Ron smiled at her description of their scenario. “No I guess not, so….” He raised his eyebrows and waited for Hermione to answer his original question.

“I just told them that you had been mugged.”

“Oh right.” Ron nodded his head and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to hide the dizzy spell that he was hoping would pass very soon. For the past few hours he’d had more Muggle medicinal experience that he ever thought he would have. And while he now had a number of stories to tell his dad, including a very strange experience with what Hermione told him was an X-ray machine, he really was ready to leave Hospital and return to the world he knew. 

The doctor who had originally seen him had told him that she would be back in a few minutes to explain everything, and he was impatiently waiting for her to appear. He didn’t realise that his hand had found its way to the dressing across his forehead until it was suddenly slapped away,

“Ron, don’t do that,” Hermione admonished as she held on tightly to his hand. “You have to let that wound heal.”

“I can’t help it. Those stitchy things feel really weird.”

“As weird as a bleeding wound on your forehead?”

Ron was forced to admit that she did have a point. “Ah…no.”

“Okay then,” Hermione said with a smile.

They both looked up when they heard the curtains swish open and the grey haired doctor with glasses perched precariously on the top of her head swept into the cubicle. She lifted his chart, retrieved her glasses and read through his recent test results.

“Right, well the tests indicate that you do not have a concussion, although I do advise that you take it easy for a day or so. The wound on your forehead had been stitched and dressed, and the stitches will need to be removed in three to four days.” She looked at him over the rim of her glasses as she spoke, fixing him with a determined stare. “I am however, a bit worried about the dizzy spells that you’ve been experiencing and attempting to hide.”

Ron winced slightly and tried to avoid the glares being sent his way by both the doctor and Hermione.

“What dizzy spells?” Hermione said as she jumped to her feet.

“It’s nothing Hermione, everything’s fine.” Ron tried to calm her down only to receive another worried look. “I just missed breakfast this morning, that’s all.”

“ _You_ missed breakfast?” Hermione asked, obviously not believing his answer.

“Yes, _I_ missed breakfast, why’s that so hard to believe?” he said as he sent her a pointed look “It’s not like there was much of a chance to grab some breakfast this morning, anyway.”

“Oh…” Hermione said as realisation finally dawned.

The doctor however was oblivious. She jotted some quick notes on the chart. “We are going to run a few more additional tests, just to ensure that the dizziness is nothing to worry about.” She opened the curtains again and made her way back into the busy corridor. She hadn’t given either of them any chance to object, but Ron was sure it wouldn’t have done any good anyway. It was her last comment as the curtain began to swish closed that had him worried though: 

“A nurse will be here in a minute to take some blood.”

It took a moment, but Ron eventually turned to Hermione. “Why are they going to take my blood?”

Hermione shook her head at his tone. “They’re just going to take a small amount Ron,” she replied, tucking his blanket around him. “Just enough to run some tests.”

“Okay.” Ron answered, but there was only one thought that rang through his mind… _how in the name of Merlin are they going to do that?_

“Uh…Hermione, where are you going?” Ron asked as he saw his girlfriend suddenly jump from her seat. 

“I’m just going to check in with …” Hermione nodded towards the nurse who was preparing to draw some blood, “your family.”

Ron nodded quickly, as he was indeed most impatient to hear from his family. He was also anxious to return to the world he was familiar with. “Okay.”

The curtain swished again as it closed behind Hermione, and Ron returned his attention to the nurse who was now approaching him with what looked suspiciously like a needle.

“Ah…wait a minute,” he said as he held up a hand and tried to back away. “What the bloody hell is that?”

“Now Mr Weasley,” the nurse said as she lowered the needle slightly, “Have you never had blood taken before?”

Something made Ron guess at that answer. “Of course I have?” he said nervously as he kept a close eye on the needle in her hands.

“Do you have a phobia of needles?” She scanned his chart again before giving him a rather concerned look. 

__

I can deal with this…Ron thought to himself … _I’ve dealt with worse than this before…I can totally do this…_

__

“No, I’m fine really.” He smiled and sent what he hoped was a confident look towards the nurse. His confidence didn’t last long however, as he watched the needle moving nearer and nearer to his arm. 

The last thing he felt before his eyes closed and his consciousness faded was the large needle touching his skin…

__

Oh crap…

____

__~~~ * ~~~_ _

____

 

__

“Ron…Ron wake up please” 

Hermione’s voice cut through the haze that was clouding his mind and brought him back to the real world. “Hey,” he whispered. “When did you get back?”

Hermione smiled at him as she leant over to kiss him gently. 

“Right after you passed out.” the nurse said kindly from the other side of the bed as she smiled at him and handed him a glass of water. “Seems like a bit of a phobia to me, son,” she added with a maternal smile. “Now, sit up and drink this, please.” 

When he’d done so, she nodded to both Ron and Hermione and told them she’d give them a minute or two to catch their breath. It was only when Ron watched her leave the cubicle did he see that not only were the curtains now open, but he could also now see the worried faces of two of his brothers across the hall.

“Hey, when’d Bill and Charlie get here?” He smiled and waved to his brothers motioning for them to come over.

“I was able to re-establish contact with the Order and Charlie and Bill took the call. When they heard you were hurt they insisted on coming to meet us,” Hermione said as she sat on the edge of the bed and took his face in her hands. “Are you sure you’re okay Ron?” She seemed to be searching his face for signs of any further injury.

“Yeah,” he said as he smiled at her concern. “I guess I just got a bit freaked out by that needle.”

“Hey…” Hermione said before she kissed him lightly. “That’s nothing to be embarrassed about, don’t worry.”

Even as Ron was nodding his head, a sudden thought occurred to him. “What about…?”

He didn’t even have to finish his question as Hermione glanced over at the two elder Weasleys who had negotiated the hospital corridor and had nearly reached them. 

She held his hand tightly and leaned over so she could whisper in his ear. “Don’t worry love, it’ll be our secret.”

It was amazing how well she really knew him. 

“Another one?” he whispered. He knew he was grinning like a fool, but didn't care. His gaze moved to the necklace that hung around Hermione's neck, his gift to her for her eighteenth birthday. The necklace held the real gift, their precious ring, which Hermione promised to keep close to her heart. 

 


End file.
